Due to advances in computing technology, businesses today are able to operate more efficiently when compared to substantially similar businesses only a few years ago. For example, internal networking enables employees of a company to communicate instantaneously by email, quickly transfer data files to disparate employees, manipulate data files, share data relevant to a project to reduce duplications in work product, etc. Furthermore, advancements in technology have enabled factory applications to become partially or completely automated. For instance, operations that once required workers to put themselves proximate to heavy machinery and other various hazardous conditions can now be completed at a safe distance therefrom.
Further, imperfections associated with human action have been minimized through employment of highly precise machines. Many of these factory devices supply data related to manufacturing to databases that are accessible by system/process/project managers on a factory floor. For instance, sensors and associated software can detect a number of instances that a particular machine has completed an operation given a defined amount of time. Further, data from sensors can be delivered to a processing unit relating to system alarms. Thus, a factory automation system can review collected data and automatically and/or semi-automatically schedule maintenance of a device, replacement of a device, and other various procedures that relate to automating a process.
Industrial controllers can be employed to effectuate completion of most industrial processes. Industrial controllers are special-purpose computers utilized for controlling industrial processes, manufacturing equipment, and other factory automation processes, such as data collection through networked systems. Controllers often work in concert with other computer systems to form an environment whereby a majority of modem and automated manufacturing operations occur. These operations involve front-end processing of materials such as steel production to more intricate manufacturing processes such as automobile production that involve assembly of previously processed materials. Oftentimes, such as in the case of automobiles, complex assemblies can be manufactured with high technology robotics assisting the industrial control process.
Industrial automation environments commonly utilize redundancy to provide availability and/or safety. For instance, two or more industrial automation devices (e.g., sensors, logic solvers, . . . ) can be employed in connection with a particular machine and/or process and disparate outputs from the devices can be combined. Each of the industrial automation devices can provide an output (e.g., vote) related to the particular machine, and the outputs can be combined to effectuate an action, to yield a measured condition, to continue and/or halt operation of the machine, etc. By way of example, a system designed for safety can include two controllers such that a machine can be shut off with the output from either of the controllers. Additionally, for instance, a single unit can include any number (e.g., two) of devices (e.g., processors) that can employ a similar fixed voting scheme that can provide safety. Accordingly, the outputs from the controllers and/or devices can be combined such that if either of the controllers and/or devices votes to shut off the machine, then the machine halts operation. Thus, safety can be provided since either one of the controllers and/or devices can be utilized to stop the machine, even if the other controller and/or device fails to turn off the machine, and the machine can be inhibited from further operation until correction of the failure. Pursuant to another illustration, the outputs from two controllers and/or two devices (e.g., that can be included in a single packaged device) can be combined such that the machine can remain operational when one of the controllers and/or devices provides a fault. Thus, the outputs of the controllers and/or devices can be combined to enable high availability where the machine can operate even when a fault occurs. Thus, industrial automation devices can be utilized to enable safety and/or availability; however, conventional architectures provide fixed voting relationships between the industrial automation devices. Additionally, users typically cannot visually observe levels of safety and/or availability associated with a particular voting relationship.